Camera support – the power of sticks

People seem to spend a whole lot of time these days vacillating over what camera to buy, but much less time worrying about what they’re going to stick the thing on. That may be exactly the wrong way to look at things.

You see, with the help of a decent lens you should be able to get a cinematic look out of almost any reputable camera on the market. But what can really set a shot apart is often more about how the camera moves through space.

So having the right support for your camera could well be a more important decision than choosing the camera itself. The good news is that in this era of ingenious design, the indie filmmaker has at her disposal tools for cinematic movement that were until recently the domain of the largest Hollywood productions.

From affordable fluid heads to stabilizers to slider/jib arm combos, there’s sure to be a way to get the look you were after without breaking the bank. Even epic crane shots can be replicated using modern drone camera systems.

Of course if you missed out on an apprenticeship at a Hollywood studio backlot, the options and variety of equipment might seem overwhelming. That’s why the good people at moviola.com created a concise video series on Camera Support as part of their Cinema Fundamentals series.

In just a few minutes the videos will take you through the essentials you need to know about camera support, from tripod operation to hi hats to Dana dollies to car mounts. When you’re done you’ll have a clear grasp of what’s available and–more importantly–what it’s all for.

And once you’ve discovered what you need to turn your shots from a found footage shake-fest to a masterpiece in motion, swing by filmtools.com; we’ll be happy to set you up with everything you need.
As a special offer from moviola.com, enjoy the tripod Camera Support fundamentals video for free this week (player below).